The Legend of Gimbles Gold
by ackeberlynn
Summary: Bad men come to Hazzard, searching for gold, and Bo and Luke get caught in the middle.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Trespassing

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, and the bad guys, 'cuz I made them up.

Author's Note: I had some trouble with the plot once I got this story going, so suggestions are welcome. Please review.

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Balladeer: Welcome to yet another sunny day in Hazzard County. There's ol' Bo and Luke, driving the General Lee, and for once, they ain't bein' chased by nobody.

"Sure is a nice day," commented Bo from his place behind the wheel.

"Yeah, it's hot too," said Luke. "Say, why don't we head up to the old swimmin' hole an' take a dip?" Bo grinned, they hadn't been swimming in ages.

"Sounds good to me." So off they went.

Balladeer: Now the old swimmin' hole is up in Fulton's glen, just past the old Gimble's coal mine, for all you folks still learnin' your way around Hazzard. What Bo and Luke don't know, is that there are three very dangerous men in Gimble's mine, who ain't got no business bein' there at all.

"Hey, Bo, slow down up here. Do you see what I see?" Both boys looked to their right, over toward Gimble's mine, where a vehicle was parked at the mine's entrance. They drove past slowly, then Luke said, "Now that's just weird."

"What is?"

"Gimble's mine has been boarded up for years. It's illegal to even go near it, not to mention dangerous."

"So what do you think that car was doin' back there?"

"I don't know, but whaddaya say we find out?" Bo smiled and whipped the General around in a U-turn, tires spinning.

"Park in them bushes over there," Luke instructed. "So they can't see us."

"Why? We ain't got nothin' to hide."

"Just do it, okay? I got a hunch." So Bo parked the General and the boys got out. Hiding behind the bushes, they had a good view of the back of pickup truck.

"Looks like they got a bunch of equipment, there," said Luke, craning his neck to see.

"Maybe it's some sort of government fella, checking on the mine?" suggested Bo.

"Any fella from the government wouldn't be drivin' a car like that," Luke said.

"Then maybe it's somebody new in town, who doesn't know that it's illegal to be there."

"No, there are 'no trespassing' signs everywhere along that road." Luke shook his head. "There's somethin' fishy going on here. Come on." With Bo following close behind, Luke crept over to the pickup and peeked in the back. "Look at this, Bo. Shovels, picks, flashlights. Looks like they plan to do some digging." Just then a man came up behind them holding a gun.

"Put your hands up and turn slowly," he ordered. Bo and Luke did as they were told.

"I hate it when your hunches are right," Bo whispered. Luke just sighed.

"So do I."

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Well, how do you like it? This is very different from the first fic I posted, but I actually wrote this one first. Please let me know what you think; suggestions are welcome. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Just Peachy

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Author's Note: This is kinda where things started getting muddled. As always, please review.

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"Look, mister, we don't want no trouble," Luke said, still holding his hands in the air.

"Yeah, we were just headed up to the swimmin' hole, an'…" Bo stammered, never taking his eyes off of the gun.

"What are your names?" the man interrupted.

"My name's Luke Duke, and this here's my cousin, Bo," Luke said.

"Do you live here in Hazzard?"

"Lived here all our lives, why?"

"Have you ever been through this mine?"

"Shoot, mister that mine's been boarded up ever since we can remember. It's illegal to even go near it," Bo said curtly.

"Look, what's this all about, anyway?" Luke asked impatiently.

"That's none of your business! I'm doing the questioning here, got it?" The man snapped. "Now you're gonna have to come with me. Go on, get in there," the man motioned for the boys to walk inside the mine. They did as they were told, walking slowly.

Suddenly, Luke whirled around and attacked the man, slamming him up against the wall of the entrance to the mine, making him drop the gun. Bo was about to go over and help, but someone tapped his shoulder. He turned around, and was socked hard in the jaw by another guy. The force of the blow knocked him to the ground, where he sat dazed. Luke only got one good punch in on the first man before the unmistakeable click of the hammer of a gun made him freeze and lift his hands in the air. Turning to face the man, he saw yet another one walking up, also wielding a handgun. One was aimed at him, the other, aimed at his cousin, who sat on the ground shaking his head and rubbing his jaw. The first man Luke had jumped got up with a grunt, went over and picked his gun up off of the ground.

"That was real stupid," he said, panting heavily. "Try something like that again and you're liable to get shot."

"Look, what exactly do you want from us?" Bo asked, exasperated.

"Just let us go, we don't want no part in anything you're doin' here. We'll just cause more trouble for ya," Luke tried to reason with them.

"You'll just shut up and do as we say, and nobody'll get hurt, understand?" the man said. "Now get up." He grabbed Bo's arm and roughly yanked him to his feet. They led the boys back into the dimly lit mine, made them sit against the wall, and tied their hands behind their backs.

"Well, this is just peachy," Luke muttered sarcastically.

"Don't mention peaches," Bo groaned. "I'm hungry."

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Balladeer: Yep, those boys sure are in a bind. Wonder how their gonna get out of this mess.

Okay, well, that is chapter 2. Sorry I took so long; I find it hard to get on the computer between school, work, and band. Suggestions are welcome, (I beg you!) and please review!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The plot thickens

Author Note: Just so ya know, in all my stories (unless listed otherwise), Bo is eighteen and Luke is twenty-one. In this story, Hank is in his early thirties, and his brothers are in their late twenties.

Thanks to everyone who reviews, it keeps me writing.

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The boys had been sitting, tied up, for almost thirty minutes. They were hot, hungry, and extremely irritated.

"Can you get loose?" Bo asked, his own attempts to free himself in vain. Luke shook his head.

"Nope, tied 'em too tight. Looks like were stuck here."

"Don't you got a plan?" asked Bo in a whisper.

"A plan? Who do ya think I am, Houdini?" Luke's voice was harsher than he meant it to be, and he regretted his words instantly when he saw the fear and hurt in his cousin's blue eyes. "Look just sit tight for now, okay? I'll think of somethin'." A few minutes later, all three men congregated around a small card table a few feet away. Luke strained his ears to catch their conversation.

"…don't know why you had to go an' do that, Hank. Now we got more troubles than when we started."

"You hush up, now. If it weren't for me, y'all'd be workin' in that stupid factory still. Workin' maximum hours for minimum wage and killin' your backs."

"…didn't want no trouble with the law…"

"…can be of some use to us. When the job's done, we'll get rid of them. It's that simple." At this, Luke glanced over at Bo to see if he'd heard. He could tell by the sudden paleness in the younger man's face and the widening in his eyes that he had.

Balladeer: Them boys' just got the worst luck. Those three men there are the infamous Hank, Joe, and Wes Milton. The 'Milton boys' have been in the papers as wanted men, havin' done everything from armed robbery to grave robbery. Yup, they've even stolen from the dead. Them boys'll do anything to get rich quick, except maybe work.

"All right, boys. Since you'll probably be stuck with us for awhile, ya might as well earn your keep. Get up," Hank instructed smugly, his gun held firmly in his hand and pointed at the boys. Bo and Luke stood on their feet, heads held high in defense and pride.

"Now here's how it's gonna be. Wes here is gonna cut you loose. Then your gonna follow Joe back in the mine a ways. Then your gonna dig. If ya try anything stupid, you'll get shot. Understood?" Bo and Luke nodded as their hands were freed. They followed Joe for several yards, the mine getting darker and darker. Soon, the only light visible was from the flashlights the Milton boys held, their brightness bouncing here there about the tunnel, casting odd shadows along the walls of the mine.

"This really creeps me out," Bo whispered nervously. Luke moved closer to Bo as he walked, offering what little comfort he could to his younger cousin.

"Just do as they say and watch where you walk; this place is dangerous."

Finally, they stopped, at what looked like mudslide blocking the pathway leading further into the mine.

"Here we are. Your job is to dig through all that so we can get to the other side," said Joe.

"What's on the other side?" Luke asked boldly.

"I don't think that it's necessary for you to know that," Hank said meanly.

"Well, I think if ya want us to dig for ya, we got the right to know what we're digging for, don't you?" Luke stared straight into Hank's souless brown eyes. He lowered his tone and his voice was firm. "You're gonna kill us anyway, right? Ain't we got a right to know what we're dyin' for?" The other two Milton boys seemed very uncomfortable suddenly, as if they were having second thoughts about what they were doing. Hank just stared back at Luke, unflinching. But he answered the question.

"We're lookin' for gold. Gimble's gold." Luke blinked in disbelief. Off to his right, he heard Bo snicker.

"Gimble's gold? _The_ Gimble's gold? Shoot, mister, you might as well be lookin' for Pandora's box, 'cuz Gimble's gold ain't nothin' but legend." Hank's face changed and he turned toward Bo slowly.

"Oh, it's real, boy. And it's somewhere on the other side of this heap of dirt."

"Yeah, we got a map!" Joe, obviously the youngest Milton brother, said proudly.

"A map?" Luke asked. "Where the heck did ya get a map?"

"From the great, great, great, great grandson of Mr. Richard Gimble, the former owner of this here coal mine."

Luke shook his head.

"I think you're mistaken, 'cuz the last blood relative of the Gimbles died back when my uncle was just a kid."

"Yeah, that gold story is just a myth, shoot, everybody in Hazzard knows that," Bo added.

"You're wrong, boys," Wes argued. "I talked to the man himself, Roscoe Gimble."

"_Roscoe_ Gimble!" The boys cried in unison.

"Listen, there's only one man in town who could be behind this, and gauruntee you he is pullin' your leg," Luke said adamantly.

"And who's that?" Hank, who had been quiet up 'til now, spoke up.

"Boss Hogg!"

Balladeer: Yep, it's just typical day in Hazzard…

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Okay, there it is! Tell me what you think, Review! 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The ledge

Author's Note: I had some trouble here, but it all seemed to work out. Thanks to everyone who reviews. I apologize if there are any mistakes.

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"Boss Hogg!" Bo and Luke said simultaneously.

"Boss Hogg's that money grubbin' county commissioner, ain't he?" Wes asked.

"Sure is. Face it boys," Bo said. "You might as well give up, 'cuz Roscoe is Boss's right hand man, and you've already been fooled."

Hank's eyes narrowed at this and he raised the gun higher.

"Let's hope for your sakes, and for that sheriff's, that you're wrong."

Balladeer: Meanwhile, back in town, Boss Hogg was in a rare mood – a happy one.

He sat back in his office chair, feet propped up on the desk and hands folded contentedly on his chest, grinning from ear to ear. Then Roscoe walked.

"Boss? Oh…ooooeee, you got that look on your face again! Did you get one of them spare rib bones stuck sideways in your mouth?" Instantly the smile left Boss's face.

"No, you idiot! I was smilin'!"

"Well, what would you have to smile about Boss? Unless you found those extra spare ribs Enos hid in the refrigerator."

"Forget the ribs!" Boss yelled impatiently. "I have better news!"

"What's that?" Roscoe asked.

"I'm gonna be rich! Rich!" Boss laughed maniacally.

"Ooooeee that's…wait a minute. How?"

"Remember them Milton boys I had you talk to over the phone the other day?"

"You mean when you made me pose as a civilian named Roscoe Gimble and made me say all that stuff you'd written on that paper?" Roscoe said with a hint of accusation in his voice.

"That's right," answered Boss.

"Yeah, I remember."

"Well, they jist got into town yesterday an' I gave them a signed permit to excavate that mine. Which is what they're doin' as we speak," Boss explained excitedly.

"Well, how's them excavating that coal mine gonna make you rich, Boss? Seein' as I'm the one they promised half of their findings to."

"Because you'll be ex-sheriff if you don't bring me every cent!" Boss shouted.

"Oooo – igit! No need to yell! Come on Flash," Roscoe picked up his beloved hound and left Boss's office.

"Hey, don't go too far, now!" Boss called after the bumbling sheriff. "I may need ya in a couple hours!" Then he reached in his desk and pulled out a jar of pickles and began to stuff his face.

"Hank! We got ourselves a problem," Joe called, walking back from where he'd been investigating the other side of the wall of dirt Bo and Luke had dug through. It had taken them nearly an hour to get through all that mud and rock, and they were physically exhausted. Luke was sitting on a boulder, his head leaned back against the cold mine wall. Bo was sitting on the ground, leaning up against his older cousin's body. Wes stood nearby, gun in hand, standing guard over the boys.

"Now what?" he whined as Joe walked up.

"What's goin' on?" asked Hank, slightly annoyed that there was yet another inconvenience.

"Well, there's a narrow ledge leadin' to the other end of the mine. Only looks big enough for one person to cross at a time. If somebody falls, well, it's a near hundred foot drop to the bottom," Joe said somberly.

"Isn't there another way across?" Wes asked.

"Not that I can see. Look Hank, I don't know about this. That ledge looks pretty unstable."

Hank's face broke into an evil grin.

"That's okay," he said. "We'll send them across first, then if it gives way…I guess we won't have to worry about them snitchin' on us, will we? Get up." The boys did as they were told; there was nothing else they could do.

"Why are you so worried about people knowin' you're here, seein' as the law's on your side?" Asked Luke, stalling for time.

"Because the conditions for excavating this mine were that we bring half the money to town and give it to that Roscoe Gimble. An' of course, we ain't gonna do that. An' seein' that that Roscoe fellow is a few beers short of six pack, the only possible flaw in our slaw would be if somebody went back an' told the nitwit our plan. Which ain't gonna happen. Now get!"

Balladeer: Did y'all catch that?

As they followed the Miltons back further into the dark mine, Bo whispered, "Hey, you got a plan yet? Now'd be real swell time." Luke shook his head.

"The odds are against us. They got guns. We just gotta hope that uncle Jesse an' Daisy have realized we've been gone too long." They came upon the rocky ledge, which was about fifty feet across and two feet wide. In the dim light the boys could just make out the edges of the pathway, and the dark chasm beneath.

"Well, get goin'. When you reach the other end, holler, and no funny stuff. Remember, these guns are loaded," warned Hank, forcing the boys forward.

"Unless they got a death wish," Wes joked. Luke and Bo just glared at him, and began to make their way across the ledge. Luke moved in front of Bo protectively, thinking that if the ledge did happen to give way, he'd fall instead of Bo. He inched out slowly onto the narrow land bridge, easing one foot, then the other. Bo followed close behind, concentrating on nothing else but Luke's cautious steps in front of him, and his own beating heart.

They were about 5 feet from the other side when it caved in. Luke jumped to the edge, barely making it, but quickly finding a secure foothold. Bo, on the other hand, had nowhere to go but down. He fell some thirty feet onto another rocky ledge, where he lay motionless. Luke whipped around and gazed down at his unconscious cousin with his heart in his throat.

"Bo!" he called, but got no answer. He glanced back where the Milton clan stood, obviously shocked by what had transpired. "Throw me a rope," he demanded, gruff emotion evident in his voice. Wes, who had been carrying the rope looped over his shoulder, was about to oblige when Hank stopped him.

"Leave him, if we help him it'll just waste time." Fury burned in Luke's gut.

"You toss me that rope right now or you'll have to shoot me, 'cuz you won't get no more help from me." Wordlessly Wes tossed Luke the rope.

"No funny stuff, boy. You just remember that we got the guns," threatened Hank. Luke just ignored him, tied one end of the rope around his waist and the other, around a large boulder. Then he shimmied down to the ledge where Bo lay.

When his feet touched the ledge he knelt down and felt Bo's neck for a pulse. When he found a steady one, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Bo. Bo, come on, buddy. Open your eyes."

Bo moaned at the sound of his cousin's voice, and slowly came to.

"Luke?" he whispered hoarsely. "What happened?"

"The ledge gave way," said Luke, helping Bo to a sitting position. "You fell. Anything hurt?"

"Not really, just my head is all," Bo said, his voice getting stronger. Luke gently turned Bo's head to the side, noticing blood matting his cousin's blonde hair from a gash near his temple.

"Got a pretty nasty gash there," he commented, and started to tear part of his left shirt sleeve off, just below the elbow.

"What are you doing?" Bo asked.

"What's it look like I'm doin'."

"Well, ya don't gotta go ripping up your shirt; shoot, it ain't that bad," Bo scoffed. "You know how mad Daisy's gonna be when she has to fix that?"

"Well, I gotta stop the bleeding, all right?" said Luke, a bit exasperated. "Now hold still." Just then Hank yelled down.

"Well, is he alive?" Luke was disgusted by the casual way the question was put, and struggled to control his temper.

"Yes, he's alive, but he's hurt," he shouted back.

"Hurt how?"

"He's got a bad cut on his head and probably a concussion." Luke frowned as he heard Hank chuckle.

"Well, good then. We won't have to worry about a dead body," he said. "Bring him up." Luke sighed and pressed the fabric against Bo's wound.

"I gotta get us out of here. I'm gonna try somethin'," he said quietly.

"What?" Bo asked.

"I'm not sure yet, just be ready."

Balladeer: Now I don't know about y'all, but if one of them Dukes ever told me to "be ready", I'd be ready for anything.

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Whew! That took forever! I'm sorry it took so long, hope you're still interested. Any suggestions for how the story should go are welcome. Please review! 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Escape

Authors note: Thanks to everyone who's reading and reviewing. I appreciate the feedback. Sorry it took so long to get this up. Life is busy. Anyway, enjoy!

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"Daisy?" Jesse Duke called from the front porch of their little farm.

"Out here, Uncle Jesse," Daisy answered from where she stood, washing her jeep, Dixie, in the yard. Uncle Jesse ambled toward her with a worried expression on his face.

"Do you remember where them boys said they was goin'?" he asked.

"Well, I thought they were headed up to the swimmin' hole around noon," she said. Uncle Jesse frowned.

"That's what I thought. I ain't heard hide nor hair from 'em since then, and it ain't like 'em to stay out this long without checkin' in." Daisy looked down at her watch.

"I didn't realize what time it was. It's nearly five!" Jesse nodded.

"I'm gonna get on the CB, an' see if I can't get ahold of 'em. Why don't you head to town an' find out if anybody's seen 'em?"

"Sure, Uncle Jesse, just as soon as I'm done cleanin' Dixie," Daisy promised.

Balladeer: Now it's about time somebody realized them boys was missing. And while Daisy and Jesse were trying to find out what happened to the boys, Bo and Luke were working out an escape plan back in Gimble's mine.

"Come on, what's takin' so long?" yelled Hank from above.

"We're comin', we're comin'," Luke answered, helping Bo inch his way up the rope to the ledge above. Once they had reached the top, Luke began gathering up the rope.

"All right, throw that rope over here," demanded Hank from across the rift.

"Wait a minute, how we gonna get over there?" Wes asked. Before Hank could answer Luke spoke.

"Simple. I'll lasso this rope around that big beam up there. You swing across." He pointed to a sturdy wooden plank sitting horizontally across the mine's ceiling, it's ends securely cemented in the upper walls of the mine.

"Yeah, right," Joe scoffed. "Then you can fix it so we all fall down to the abyss."

"No, he's right," said Hank. "We'll swing across. An' then if they try anything, I'll have an even better reason for shootin' 'em." He cocked his gun to emphasize his point. Luke just nodded and gathered the rest of the rope.

"Be ready," he whispered to Bo. The younger man just nodded, wide-eyed and nervous. It took Luke only four tries to get the rope up and over the beam, grabbing the other end of it as it swung back toward him. He tied a hook knot and pulled it taut.

"All right, now swing it over here," Hank called.

"Hold on, I gotta make sure it's stable," said Luke, and that's when he made his move. He jumped on the rope and swung across the rift, kicking the gun out of Hank's hand and knocking him over. The other two Milton boys were too stunned to react at first, which gave Luke just enough time to knock Hank out, before starting toward them. As Luke went swinging toward Joe, Wes went for his gun. Just as he was aiming to fire at Luke's back, Bo was on top of him, having swung across by the rope himself. Wes was first to get to his feet, and yanked Bo up by the collar and spun him around. He was met with a fist square in the jaw, and was knocked to the ground, out cold. Almost simultaneously, Luke knocked out Joe. He whipped around, only to find that Hank had come to, and was throwing punches with Bo. As his younger cousin fell to the ground after a hard blow to the face, Luke tackled Hank. Getting up quickly, he sat on the older man's chest and socked him right between the eyes. Hank was out cold. Luke stood up and ran to Bo's side. "You all right?" he asked, helping his cousin to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Bo lied, swaying on his feet.

"Well you look terrible. Come on, we gotta get outta here 'fore they wake up." And they ran out of the mine.

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"Well, I can't get ahold of 'em," Jesse said in a frustrated tone. "You find anything?" Daisy, who had just come back from searching all over town for her cousins, shook her head.

"I talked to Cooter, Ms. Tisdale, Doc Applebee, an' even those two girls they were datin' last month, Bobbie Sue and Betsy Hawkins. Nobody's seen 'em, Uncle Jesse. I'm beginnin' to think somethin' happened."

"Now, now, let's not go jumpin' to conclusions. I'm sure…" Just then the CB in Daisy's jeep began to crackle.

"Lost sheep to shepherd. Lost sheep to shepherd. You got your ears on out there?"

"This here's shepherd—where in the heck have you boys been?" Jesse said, more strictly than he meant to.

"It's a long story, Uncle Jesse, one we don't got time to tell right now. We're in trouble, and Boss Hogg and Roscoe might be too."

"Well, what can we do to help?" asked Jesse.

"Meet us out at Eagle's Glen in five minutes," Luke instructed. "We'll tell ya all about it there."

"I'll be there in three," answered Uncle Jesse. "Shepherd out."

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ruby: I couldn't help but notice you reviewed like five times. Wow! Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying this.

fanficfan, sarah, GreggoAddict, Jordyn, Flynne, Warrior of the Shadow, Tamika-Kyoto, Fawkes 2005,and everyone else who's been following along: Thank you for your input! I will update as soon as possible.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Confrontations

Author's note: Okay. This chapter was a work in progress, so it turned out differently than I'd originally planned, but I think it's okay. I'll try to get the last chapter(s) up ASAP. Enjoy!

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Jesse's pickup skidded to halt in front of the General Lee. He stepped out, and walked slowly over to where the boys stood. His face softened and his eyes grew filled with concern as he looked at each boys' face. Luke's was flushed and anxious, smeared with dirt and had a dark bruise forming along his jawline. Bo, on the other hand, was very pale, with smeared blood on his face from the gash on his head, and tired, somewhat distant eyes. Both boys' clothing was torn and dirty, and it looked to Uncle Jesse like they'd been through a war…and lost.

"What on earth happened to you two." Uncle Jesse spoke in a low, controlled voice. It wasn't put as a question. It was an order.

"We had a run in with some men looking for Gimble's gold," Luke began, leaning against the General Lee as he talked. Then he told Uncle Jesse about all that had transpired earlier that day. Bo, who also had been leaning against the General Lee, began feeling more and more dizzy as time went on, standing in the late afternoon sun. Soon his vision began to blur, then his hearing. Suddenly, his knees buckled, and he would've fallen over, had Luke not been there to catch him. "Bo!" he cried as he held his younger cousin up. He explained to Uncle Jesse about the ledge and how he thought Bo had a concussion. "We need to get him to the hospital," he said.

"I'm _fine_, Luke," Bo protested, trying to stand on his own. "It's just the sun, is all." It was a lame excuse, and it didn't fly.

"You are not fine, Bo! I saw that fall—you're lucky you ain't killed," Luke shouted angrily.

"All right, all right, let's just keep our cool here, okay?" Uncle Jesse said calmly. "Now Bo, you're cousin's right. You don't look too good."

"Look every minute we waste here is another minute those Milton boys have to escape. An' they could go after Boss and Roscoe," Bo said.

"Now wait a minute, what does J.D. have to do with this?" Uncle Jesse asked Luke. Luke sighed.

"We think Boss was tryin' to scam cityfolk into believin' that legend about Gimble's gold. He makes 'em pay a huge amount of money for a permit to excavate the mine, then when the permit expires, it's nonrefundable."

"Only this time, Boss scammed the wrong people," Bo added.

"Yeah, an' once they find out there's no gold, they're gonna go after the men who swindled 'em."

"An' they got guns," Bo added again.

"What're you gonna do?" asked Jesse.

"Well we're gonna go after 'em, of course. Com'on, Luke," Bo said, cautiously making his way over to the passenger side of the General and sliding in. Luke sighed, exasperated.

"Dang, he's stubborn," he said. "But he's got a point. We can't just let 'em get away." Uncle Jesse nodded.

"I know it. You boys do what ya gotta do. Just keep in touch an' keep an eye him, ya hear?" he said, nodding toward where Bo sat waiting in the General. Luke nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"I'm gonna get back to the farm an' tell Daisy what's goin' on," Jesse called as Luke slid through the driver side window. A few minutes later, the boys were parked in front of Boss Hogg's bank.

"Maybe you should stay here," Luke suggested before getting out.

"Will you just stop that!"

"Stop what?" Luke asked, surprised at his cousin's sudden outburst of anger. 'Though I shouldn't be surprised', he thought, 'Bo always did have a short temper. The head injury probably makes it worse.'

"Stop treatin' me like a little kid!"

"Look, I'm just tryin' to make sure you're alright; it's my job," said Luke as he exited the vehicle, followed by a dizzy but determined Bo. They burst into Boss Hogg's office, only to find him doing his favorite thing in the world, counting money.

"Roscoe! Where are you when I need you!" Boss yelled, quickly stuffing the stacks of bills into a nearby drawer. Roscoe came in behind the Dukes, Flash in his arms.

"Sorry Boss, Flash had to tinkle."

"Well, get in here! Arrest these Dukes for breakin' and enterin'!"

"Hey we didn't break nothin'," Bo said defensively.

"Well, then arrest 'em for enterin'!" Boss shouted.

"Hold on a minute, Boss. We got a serious matter that needs lookin' into and it involves you," Luke said.

"Me? How?"

"We came across some men at Gimble's mine today. They said you gave 'em permission to excavate it for gold."

"Yeah? So what if I did?" Boss snubbed.

"Look, they're dangerous men. They got guns. And they almost got Bo an' me killed in that mine," Luke explained. "They told us that they never planned on givin' ya that fifty percent of whatever they found, they were just gonna take the money an' run."

"Well they ain't gonna get too far," said Boss. "Cuz' there ain't no gold."

"What! You said…you made me… you mean you…oh! Shame, shame, everybody knows your name!" Roscoe stammered, not believing that Boss would lie to him.

"I know what I said, dipstick! That was all part of my plan! Those Milton brothers had to sign a contract to excavate that mine, and had to each pay the county, er—me, five hundred dollars. And in that fine print on that contract it said that the money is nonrefundable."

"What's that mean?" asked Roscoe.

"It means that Boss knew all along that there was no gold in that mine. But he made it seem like there was—makin' you pose as Gimble's great, great, grandson. Those men are gonna find out there's no gold an' they're gonna realize they were swindled. Then they're gonna come after you, Boss," Luke said gravely.

"Oh, nonsense! They step one foot in here an' I'll cuff 'em and stuff 'em!" Roscoe exclaimed. Boss gave Roscoe a withering look.

Balladeer: It's times like this I bet 'ole Boss wonders why he ever hired such a dimwitted sheriff.

"On the other hand," he said mischievously. "If you Duke boys think ya can catch 'em, I'd be willin' to drop all charges against ya."

Balladeer: That was all Bo an' Luke needed to hear. Despite the fact that the charges against 'em were all false, they knew that only way them Milton boys were gonna get put behind bars where they belonged is if they caught 'em themselves. So they rounded up Enos, and told him to follow behind 'ole Roscoe in his police car. The five of 'em headed out toward Gimble's mine to bring the Milton boys in. Folks, I'd stay tuned, 'cuz this is sure to get interestin'.

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You heard him, keep readin'! And please review, too! 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Tailgating

Authors Note: I made a wee mistake. I said there were five headed out to the mine-Luke, Bo, Enos, and Roscoe. Notice that's only four. Yeah, I never could count.

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By this time Bo had a serious headache. He kept rubbing at his eyes and forehead, causing Luke to once again grow concerned.

"You okay?" he asked. Bo sighed.

"I got a headache somethin' fierce."

"When this is all over we're goin' to the hospital whether ya like or not," Luke said authoritavely. Bo didn't bother to protest.

The boys pulled in front of the mine, followed closely by Roscoe and then Enos. Simultaneously, the Milton's pickup was pulling out.

"They must've found out there wasn't any gold," Luke said.

"Let's follow 'em," Bo urged, and they began the chase. Luke sped out and began tailgating the pickup. Roscoe and Enos turned on their lights and sirens.

"Who's behind us?" Hank, who was driving the Milton vehicle, shouted. Joe, who was riding shotgun, looked out the side mirror.

"It's them Duke boys. They got the law with 'em!"

"I knew all this would backfire!" Wes whined from the backseat.

"Shut up! We ain't givin' up yet! Get rid of 'em, Joe!" Hank yelled. Joe pulled out his gun and aimed it at the General Lee.

"Get down!" Luke shouted as well-aimed bullets shattered the windshield. Somehow he managed to keep the car on the road.

"They broke our dang windshield!" Bo observed, brushing glass off his clothes. "You alright?"

"I'll be better when we get these guys," said Luke, tailgating the pickup once more.

"They're still on us!" Joe yelled, trying unsuccessfully to reload his gun with all the bumps and swerves the car was making.

"I'll take care of that," said Hank, as he slammed on the brakes. The car lurched to a halt as the General Lee swerved off the road.

"Hang on!" Luke cried as they nearly missed colliding with a tree. He managed to swerve back up on the road and started tailgating again. "I'm gonna give 'em a taste of their own medicine." He viciously rammed the Milton truck from behind, the force of it causing Hank to lose control and careen into a ditch, where all three brothers began struggling to exit the vehicle and flee.

Luke stopped the General and jumped out, running down to tackle Joe. Wes, however, began a limping run down the road. Luckily Roscoe and Enos pulled up and managed to detain him. They both watched as the Dukes battled the Miltons in the ditch.

Luke had just finished knocking out Joe when he heard Bo call for him. On any other day Bo could've held his own in fight with big ol' Hank, but because of the head injury he was losing bad. Hank was on top of him, and just about to sock him good when Luke jumped him. He took him down easy, threw a few punches, and then stood as Hank fell back unconscious in the dirt. Then he turned his attention to Bo, who sat on the ground rubbing his face.

"You okay?" he asked, kneeling next to his cousin.

"Well, you know how you was sayin' I should get checked out by a doctor? Well, I think I'm gonna take ya up on that," Bo admitted. Luke just smiled and helped his younger cousin to his feet. Roscoe and Enos came over and managed, albeit fumbling, to 'cuff and stuff' the Miltons. Luke drove Bo to Doc Appleby's.

Balladeer: Well, see? It all worked out. The Milton boys were arrested and charged with carryin' weapons without permits, since the Dukes decided not to press charges and since Boss wanted to cover up the fact that he gave the Miltons an illegal excavation permit. But he made sure that they were banned from Hazzard County, him bein' happy to have at least swindled the $1,500 out of 'em.

Bo was treated for a mild concussion and released from the hospital later that day. Within 24 hours, him and Luke were back on the road again; headin' up to the swimmin' hole in Fulton's Glen, where they was originally headed in the first place.

"This time, cuz," Bo said, fiddling with his fishing pole in the passenger seat. "If ya see anything outta the ordinary…don't stop." Luke just laughed, happy to be once again flying free in the General Lee.

Balladeer: Which goes to show you how easy it is to get distracted here in Hazzard County. Y'all come back now, ya hear?

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THE END

Author's Note: Well, I hope that ending was satisfactory. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and faithfully read the story despite the gaps b/n updates. You all keep me writing. I have like, four or five other stories some finished, some not, laying around in various journals. I mean to post them; it's just a matter of when I can get on the computer. I even have a half-written Christmas one, which will probably be the next one I post.


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